


The Dance

by Emilywho



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dance, Dancing, Episode: s03e02 The Sign of Three, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Romance, Waltzing, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-26
Updated: 2014-01-26
Packaged: 2018-01-10 04:16:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1154805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emilywho/pseuds/Emilywho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate scene/s to the episode The Sign of Three, where Sherlock finally gets to dance. Fluff/angst/romance. Sherlock and an unnamed female character/friend who lives at 221B and works at Scotland Yard.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dance

You play the violin so precisely and beautifully. There is nothing more breathtaking than this very moment. John is taking his first dance with his new wife Mary in front of their close friends and family while you play a specially composed piece. I glance over to you as you stare at the happy couple whilst being totally enthralled in the playing of your violin. I smile and turn back to face Mr and Mrs Watson. Everyone seems so content watching the couple.  
You end your stunning piece while the happy couple dip and share a kiss. Everyone applauds and start to mingle amongst one another while you order everyone to start dancing.  
“Did you know Sherlock was planning that?” Molly asked  
“No I didn't, I did see him dancing to the violin piece this morning and stopped as soon as Mrs Hudson came up.” 

I giggle as I remember you acting all embarrassed to be caught when I know you love dancing, I thought I was being sly by hiding to spy on your dancing but you caught me out as soon as Mrs Hudson had gone.  
“I owe you a dance.” You say. I don't believe for one second that you'll keep to your word but I enjoyed the sentiment behind it.

I start to dance in the huddle of Molly, Tom, Greg, Mrs Hudson and her date Mr Chatterji. We all take the dance with a pinch of salt and just enjoy ourselves. I glance over at you talking with John and Mary, you all look ecstatic, it's a lovely moment so I decide to stay put.  
“He's done well today hasn't he.” Molly continues.  
“He really has, man of many talents, been fretting about this for weeks bless him.”  
I turn once again to look at the crowd, I can't see you anywhere, Molly has noticed your disappearance too.  
“Please excuse me.” I turn and head towards the hallway. I look towards the big double doors and see a small glimpse of a coat sweep out, and follow the trail.

I see you stride out into the darkness, buttoning up your coat. I feel sad that you're leaving.  
“You owe me a dance.” I say sternly. A slight wind picks up.  
You turn around and see me standing with the hall behind me. You stare directly at me and smile ever so slightly. I put my hand out as if waiting for you to accept this dance.  
“I suppose I did say that didn't I.” you slowly start to walk towards me.  
“Why were you leaving? Everyone's only just started.”  
“I have a few cases to get back to.”  
“You've just solved two. And prevented a murder. Take a couple of hours off.”  
I know you don't like public situations, I can be the same. A room full of people you don't know can be so daunting and you prefer to be back in your comfort zone of the flat.  
“OK,” you take my hand, “but out here.” I see you glance inside the dance hall and almost grimace and the amount of people.  
“Yeah OK....” I smile as you take hold of me ready for a waltz. One hand on the small of my back, the other holding my outstretched hand. The music from the hall is still audible. The hairs on my arms and neck stand on end, partly because of the chill in the air and partly because of this ridiculous scenario. I know this means nothing to you, but I enjoy it nonetheless.  
“Here,” you take your coat off and hold it open to me. I accept gratefully.  
“It touches the floor,” I glance up to you.  
“It's fine. I'll direct the cleaning bill to you.” you say with a smirk.  
We continue to waltz, what a lovely moment. You look almost professional. Finally a vaguely human side to you. It's always been there, you are like child though, until you trust someone, it doesn't come out.  
“You dance well.” You sound surprised.  
“I have a secret love for dancing, thought you might have guessed from the repeat viewings of Strictly.”  
We dance in silence, but there is no awkwardness. It feels so natural. I catch myself being very aware of where your hands are and start to blush. Which I fight profusely as the thing to make this awkward is you deducing my face. I also refuse to look up at you. The light from the hall makes you look statuesque and beautiful.  
The song inside the hall ends and we naturally part after the end of the dance and look at each other.  
“Thank you for that, it's not often I get to dance.” I don't know why but your comment takes me by surprise. It's beyond me why no body wants to dance with you, perhaps you are the picky one.  
“You're welcome and thank you, what a lovely end to the night.” Just as I say that, a female voice shouts me from the hall behind me. You look over my shoulder,  
“You are being beckoned.”  
I turn to see one of the bridesmaids stood at the door motioning me to go inside.  
“Coming, one second,” I turn to you, “Are you sure you won't come back in for a bit?”  
“No, I need to head back, there are some fingers in the fridge that will start to turn if I don't use them for an experiment tonight.” Ha, nice.  
“OK then, I'll see you back at the flat.” I stand on my tip toes and plant a kiss on your cheek. I turn to walk back inside.  
“Coat.”  
“Oh sorry.”

 

It's 2am and I finally get to sit down as soon as I get back to the flat. I take my shoes off and shut my eyes for a few moments. It's empty, you aren't here. My stomach rumbles and I rise to my feet once again to go check the fridge.  
“Of course there's nothing in.” I feel slightly irritable, no food in and I am so tired. I hear footsteps coming up the stairs. I turn to see you stood at the doorway with a white carrier bag. A second later the smell of Chinese food wafts its way over. My eyes open wide and a huge smile spread to my face.  
“Oh my god you are a life saver.”  
“It is duck you like isn't it?” It certainly is. You take each meal out, take your coat off and sit in front of me in your armchair.  
We both sit down to feast on the food.  
“So what were you needed for?” You ask with food in your mouth.  
“Hmm? Oh, one of the bridesmaids had a bit too much to drink, I was elected to hold hair back. Great stuff.”  
“Oh. Nice.”  
“Lestrade also asked for a dance. Which was a mistake, he needs lessons off you, stood on my feet three times.”  
“Well I could have told you he was rubbish at dancing.”  
“It's shame there aren't more occasions to dance at. It's not really socially acceptable for people our age.”  
I glance up at you for a second and see you looking at me. You push your food to one side and stand up facing me with one hand out towards me.  
“Come on then.”  
I want to finish my food so bad but it is not every day you are standing in front of me asking to dance. I put my hand in yours and stand to my feet as we take each other in hold. It feels different this time. We seem to be stood closer to each other. You let go of my hand to reach down and turn on the music dock with the remote and a piece of classical music starts playing softly.  
“So how was I today?” you ask  
“It's not easy being a best man, you did brilliantly, the attempted murder aside, John is very proud of you.” I turn my head slightly so that I can see you as I speak.  
“And you?” You look down to me.  
“Yeah, I am very proud of you. Very proud.”  
Our technical dancing starts to slow and become less defined as we continue to talk.  
“So are you going to take Mycroft's offer?”  
“What, how did you find out about that?” Mycroft had asked me earlier to work for him. He felt that he could benefit from my psychology background far more than Scotland Yard ever did.  
“Mycroft told me.”  
“Of course he did. Look, I don't know. I'm actually...relieved you know now. What do you think?”  
“The money would be good.”  
“I don't care about the money. Well not a lot anyway. I mean it's the Government, will I be put into witness protection at some point and whisked away from here because of a dodgy case?”  
“Not if I have anything to do with it.”You say in a low rumble that I feel in my whole body.  
“Working with both the Holmes boys. Got my work cut out. I can't let Greg down though, we're on a lot of cases at the moment.”  
“Oh he'll cope, he always does, besides your paths will cross all the time. Mycroft is a good man, I can't say how fun it will be but he'll look after you. As will I. Always.”  
Our dancing is now just a slight sway as our talk gets softer until we stop talking altogether. I am looking up at you. I know I shouldn't be feeling like this but I never want this to end. I notice you are looking back at me. I feel you tense up very slightly as I see your eyes glance to my lips. My heart starts to race. I know for a fact you can feel it and know exactly why. Your eyes do not move from my lips. My head is all over the place trying to figure out if this is a good idea. My lips part instinctively.  
We are millimetres apart as we hear footsteps through the front door. I lean back ever so slightly, and stare into your eyes as if I’m asking the question 'what was that?' for an instant we snap out of the moment and hear hysterical giggling.  
“Sherlock? Are you up there? Mrs Hudson has had one too many sherries, could do with a hand!” John yells up the stairs.  
We both start to laugh while still holding onto each other. We both know the moment has gone, as exciting as it was, we need to go and help John. Perhaps we might get that moment back one day. I think to myself that it is nice to see that side of you, and perhaps, there might be something there.  
We let go of each other, neither one of us has looked away yet until we hear a bang downstairs. Back to reality. You head downstairs. I stand there for a second to catch my breath.


End file.
